Calling all adventure riders…You have 1 year to prepare for a once in a lifetime motorcycling inspiration experience. Total Motorcycle brings you this week’s Inspiration Friday: International GS Trophy 2022, The unknown beauty of Albania. Rugged mountains, vast valleys, wild rivers, dense forests and a fantastic coastline with off-road touring, with incredibly rich in flora, fauna and culture. Compete with the world’s best GS bikes in numerous special stages, intense challenges, tent under the stars, experience unique landscapes and cultures, make new friends from all over the world – it doesn’t get much better than this.
“The incredible rides and the unique community were an experience that will change (your) life.”
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Total Motorcycle would like to thank BMW and Albania for inspiring us to bring you this week’s Inspiration Friday: International GS Trophy 2022. Each week we bring you another Inspiring Motorcycle story to inspire you to get out and ride! Thank you for your support for visiting us and supporting us at Patreon for just $1 a month.
The unknown beauty of Albania
Rugged mountains, vast valleys, wild rivers, dense forests and a fantastic coastline: BMW Motorrad will bring the International GS Trophy to Albania in late summer 2022. The country, which is considered an insider tip for off-road touring, is incredibly rich in flora, fauna and culture. The best Enduro riders in the world can look forward to discovering this as yet quite unknown beauty on their GS bikes, in numerous special stages, and experience the #SpiritOfGS up close.
Once in a Lifetime
Seven days of pure adventure. Seven days that took two years of preparation. Seven days that change lives. Each rider only has one opportunity to take part in the International GS Trophy. But it is not a classic race – these intense challenges, in which participants demonstrate their knowledge and riding prowess, are all about team spirit and skill. And the journey is made memorable by nights in the tent under the stars, unique landscapes and cultures, as well as new friends from all over the world – the #SpiritOfGS doesn’t get much better than this.
We see a collage of three pictures showing the different conditions in the country – from dense forests and wild rivers to rugged mountains.
GS Trophy Qualifier USA
Here’s your chance to enter the International GS Trophy 2022. If you are ready for rough terrain, GPS navigation exercises and testing your GS knowledge, soon you will be able to register for the USA National Qualifying sessions, where we will be ranking men and women separately for the first time. With a lot of skill and a little luck, you could secure one of the coveted places in the country team – including a ticket to Albania.
GS TROPHY QUALIFIER USA WEST
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL GS TROPHY 2022 SOUTHEAST EUROPE
Sep 30 – Oct 3, 2021
RawHyde Adventures, Castaic, CA, United States
GS TROPHY QUALIFIER USA EAST
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL GS TROPHY 2022 SOUTHEAST EUROPE
2 – Sep 5, 2021
BMW Performance Center, Greer, SC, United States
INT. GS TROPHY SOUTHEAST EUROPE – QUALIFIER USA
Conditions of Entry
The International GS Trophy 2022 Qualifiers for Team USA will be held in 2021 as outlined below:
- GS TrophyQualifier USA East: September 02-05, 2021
- The BMW Performance Center, Greer, SC
- GS TrophyQualifier USA West: September 30- October 03, 2021
- RawHyde Adventures, Castaic, CA
MOTORCYCLE LICENSE
Each competitor is required to hold a valid riding license/endorsement at the time of the Qualifier.
COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY
Each competitor must be able to demonstrate proof citizenship or permanent residence in the United States of America at the time of the Qualifier.
MOTORCYCLE OWNERSHIP
Each Competitor must own—and be able to demonstrate proof of ownership at time of the Qualifier—a road licensed BMW GS Motorcycle in good technical condition within the following model range:
- R 1250 GS, All Variants
- R 1200 GS, All Variants
- R nineTUrban GS / Scrambler
- HP2 Enduro, All Variants
- R 1150 GS, All Variants
- R 1100 GS, All Variants
- R 100 GS, All Variants
- R 80 GS, All Variants
- F 850 GS, All Variants
- F 800 GS, All Variants
- F 750 GS, All Variants
- F 700 GS, All Variants
- F 650 GS, All Variants
- G 650 GS, All Variants
- G 310 GS, All Variants
RIDING IN THE QUALIFIER
Each Competitor must ride a road licensed BMW GS Motorcycle in good technical condition within the following model range at the Qualifier:
- R 1250 GS, All Variants
- R 1200 GS, All Variants
- R nineTUrban GS / Scrambler
- HP2 Enduro, All Variants
- R 1150 GS, All Variants
- R 1100 GS, All Variants
- R 100 GS, All Variants
- R 80 GS, All Variants
- F 850 GS, All Variants
- F 800 GS, All Variants
- F 750 GS, All Variants
- F 700 GS, All Variants
- F 650 GS, All Variants
- G 650 GS, All Variants
- G 310 GS, All Variants
CLARIFICATION TO GS TROPHY RULES: Any Participant competing in both the USA EAST and WEST GS Trophy Qualifiers will be scored at both events. HOWEVER, only their first event score will be considered when determining finalists in the INTERNATIONAL GS TROPHY event. This is done to ensure that no competitor has an unfair advantage over other competitors, both in the USA and internationally, who cannot compete in multiple qualifiers.
RIDING GEAR
Each Competitor must be dressed completely in riding gear that is suitable for competition during the Qualifier, and submit to be checked for proper fitment and use. “Suitable Riding Gear” is defined as:
- Motorcycle D.O.T. approved Three-Quarter or Full-Face Helmet
- Eye Protection
- Motorcycle Gloves
- Motorcycle Boots
- Motorcycle Long Sleeve Jacket or Enduro Jersey
- Motorcycle Street or Enduro Pants
- Impact Protection at Back, Shoulders, Elbows, Hips and Knees
- All Riding Gear must be properly fitted for effective use
THE FOLLOWING ARE INELIGIBLE TO COMPETE, BUT ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERNATIONAL GS TROPHY 2022 QUALIFIER EVENTS
- Previous International GS Trophycompetitors
- BMW AG, BMW North America employees
- Proprietors of a BMW Dealership or Importer
- Ride Instructors who currently work for BMW Motorrad
- Holders of one of the following motorcycle competition licenses: AMA/FIM/FIME Trail/Enduro/Motorcross, trials, hare and hound, Harescrambles, etc.
- RawHyde Adventures Staff & BMW Performance Center Staff, including former staff that have worked for these partners at any time in 2021
- BMW Motorrad Staff, Ambassadors, Certified BMW IIA / ITA Academy Graduates, and Brand Experts
ADDITIONAL RULES AND INFORMATION
- This 2022 Qualifier event does not include timed races.
- Any timing challenges will be strictly related to rally style contests that do not promote a fastest speed event.
The entry fee is set by the host of the Qualifier event. For 2021, the entry fee and registration will be managed by each location directly, follow the links below for location specific details, costs, and registration.
- The final round of competition will only include the highest scoring competitors from the qualifying rounds.
- The international event will be hosted in 2022.
- Participants are offered a variety of different challenges that range in levels of difficulty.
- Participants can decline to take part in any challenge, instead receiving the maximum penalty score for this challenge.
- In order to take part in the competition, participants must be prepared to subject themselves and their motorcycles to challenges which may go beyond everyday motorcycling. This includes dirt, gravel, mud and mixed conditions.
- The event may include riding days on which competitors are required to follow a defined route which may contain sections of paved roads, unmaintained and off-road sections. Along these routes, participants may find a number of special tests which would also act as check points.
- Any medication which may be required is to be brought by participants according to personal needs. The organizer does not accept any responsibility for health risks to participants arising from participation in the event. It is up to participants to have their own state of health checked prior to taking part.
- It is recommended that participants bring a small backpack to carry items required for riding in remote settings. Participants should plan on carrying water, snacks, basic tools and flat tire kits.
- Participants are responsible for their own fuel supply; event organizers will be able to direct you to the nearest gas stations.
- At the end of each qualifier event, there will be an award ceremony which will include overall points winners for that qualifier.
- Participants take part in the event at their own risk.
- Participation is only permitted with a licensed motorcycle in sound technical condition. The organizer reserves the right to exclude any vehicle which is in a questionable technical state.
- Participants must be at least 18 years old.
- All Team USA members must have a valid passport and be available to travel internationally for the global competition in 2022.
- Participants consent to any photographs, films and interviews made in connection to their involvement with the event being distributed and published on the radio, television, internet, print media, books and by means of photomechanical reproduction without claim to remuneration, including publication for advertising purposes.
- In the event that the program is forced to be canceled or terminated for safety reasons, the organizer is not liable to participant for damages in any way; the participant fee will not be refunded in this case.
- There are no refunds in full or in part for not attending the qualifier event.
- If any of these provisions become invalid, the remaining provisions remain unaffected.
- By submitting the registration form, participants agree to abide by the conditions of entry.
- These rules supersede all others regarding the International GS TrophyQualifiers, including prior year events.
HOW THE USA MEN’S AND USA WOMEN’S TEAMS WILL BE CHOSEN
The International GS Trophy 2022 will be comprised of MEN’S and WOMEN’S Teams:
ALL USA QUALIFIER COMPETITORS that compete in the final Qualifier events will be scored on a universal system and ranked based on their score. The TOP 3 MALE and TOP 2 FEMALE COMPETITORS from each of the EAST and WEST Qualifiers will be announced at the conclusion of each qualifier, respectively.
Once Both Qualifiers have concluded, the MEN’S and WOMEN’S teams will be determined based on individual competitor scoring. Because of this, it will not be possible to know who will make up the MEN’S and WOMEN’S TEAMS until BOTH the EAST and WEST Qualifiers are complete and scoring can be examined.
3 Men will be chosen to comprise the Men’s Team USA and will move on to the final GS Trophy Event in 2022.
2 Women will be chosen to comprise the Women’s Team USA. Their combined team score will be compared to the combined team scores of other Women’s Teams worldwide, and the top 6 teams will move on to the final GS Trophy Event in 2022.